


Stargazers

by 10milesfromhome



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Gen, space bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 17:24:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4108960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/10milesfromhome/pseuds/10milesfromhome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the week of Christmas and John is due to come down for an Earth Rotation. Alan decides to give his brother a ride in Thunderbird 3. Before they leave, John gives Alan an early christmas present; an up close look at Halley's Comet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stargazers

John diverted yet another call to Tracy Island. These PPI hotlines were starting to get beyond ridiculous. Rerouting the calls took up more of his time than he cared to admit. He checked the digital clock readout on the center console of the command center in Thunderbird 5. He stifled a yawn and checked the timer he had running. Thirty minutes left to go.

“Eos, you take over.”

“Okay, John” an electronic voice responded. Not long ago, she had tried to kill him once upon a time. Since then, she had become his most trusted companion, taking over from him during Earth rotations or whenever he need a few hours shuteye. This time, he was rotating but he want to stop early to catch a sight that few would ever get to see so clearly. He’d just made it into his quarters when he saw a familiar red sight propelling into view.

“John, your brother is here early.”

“Of course he is” John sighed “Send him in once he’s docked.”

“Will do.”

“Thank you, Eos.”

Alan came bounding in, brimming with energy. John had slumped down on his bed and was constantly checking the time. He didn’t want to miss this. Apparently, Alan was all intent on making him miss it.

“Hey bro, what you layin’ around for? C’mon we gotta go.”

“Alan-”

“Come on, I know I’m early but I figured you’d be itching to get back home. It is Christmas soon.”

“Alan…”

“Awwh don’t be like that Mr Grinch. It’s Christmas, it’s fun. So come on grab your stuff and we can go, go, go and be ba-”

“ALAN!”

Alan stopped talking instantly. He looked like a puppy that had just been flicked on the end of the nose with a newspaper for chewing its owner’s slippers.

“Sorry.”

John gave him a withering look and picked up his helmet from the bedside table.

“Where you goin’, bro?” Alan inquired, suddenly energetic once more. John stifled his frustration. His little brother was only 16, he still had a lot to learn.

“I’m going outside.”

“Cool. What’s happening? Solar flares? Meteor shower?”

John smiled, remembering how much Alan loved space. Almost as much as John did himself, though he couldn’t see Alan ever having the patience to sit an Astrophysics lecture, let alone do a degree in it. He decided to let Alan in on his little venture. Like Alan had said, Christmas was coming up and this would be one hell of a present.

“It’s something that I’ve been hoping to see since I’ve been up here. Halley’s Comet.”

Alan’s eyes went as wide as was possible. It was like a kid being told he had carte blanche in his favourite candy store.

“Really?! How close is it gonna be? When’s it gonna get here? Soon? Oh my God, this is going to be so cool!”

John placed his hands on his brother’s shoulders.

“Alan, can we please stay calm? It’s gonna be here in the next ten minutes and from what I’ve predicted for it’s trajectory, it’s going to be pretty close to us. We’ll be tethered to Thunderbird 5, so don’t try and jump off to catch a piece of debris off of it as it sails by, okay?”

Alan looked down and murmured under his breath about how that was only one time but still followed John out to the airlock, a veritable bounce in his step. He was gonna be able to see Halley’s Comet. HALLEY’S FREAKIN’ COMET. And it was going to close to them as well. Like really close. Holy hell, he was so excited.

Once both their helmets were checked and secure, John released the airlock and they floated out into the great yawning void of space. They hooked up and tested the mooring before walking along the hull of the space station John called home. to find a suitable vantage point.

“I think just here will be fine” John announced as he checked his timer. Five minutes. They both knelt on the transparent corridor of John’s quarters. Alan spoke over the comms system.

“So, uh, haven’t you been lonely?”

“No. I’ve got Eos and seven billion neighbours for company. Why would I be lonely?”

“I dunno. You’re just like the only person up here. Don’t you find it weird not talking to anyone?”

“I talk to you and the others all the time.”

“That’s IR stuff. I mean like real talk, like just catchin’ up and talkin’ about the latest football games. Don’t you miss that?”

“No. If I want to talk to someone I’ll talk to Eos.”

“That’s not what I-”

“Apologies for the interruption” Eos announced “John, Halley’s Comet is imminent.”

“Thanks, Eos.”

Sure enough, it hove into view seconds later. A bright slash of light, streaking across space, the tail roaring with gases. John had to flick his visor down. He may have calculated the path it would take but he hadn’t accounted for the comet being so bright. He glimpsed across at his brother. All he could make out was Alan’s massive, goofy grin. John smirked. Sometimes, Alan reminded him so much of himself it was scary. The silence that grin left was almost welcome as well, compared to Alan’s usual inane rambling.

John shifted closer to his brother and put an arm round his shoulders. It wasn’t often he extended any physical affection, even when people were around him (God, how he dreaded that on Tracy Island) but this was a good time for it. His brother was trying to stammer something out when John cut in.

“Merry Christmas, Alan”

“Merry Christmas, John“

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this for a friend who's been having a rough time recently. Dedicating it to them.


End file.
